Dharmaraksa (2)

Dharmaraksa (2)

(385-433 c.e.) first translator of the Nirvana Sutra

There are two significant figures named Dharma-raksa.

The first (239-316 or 233-310) (Dharmaraksa (1)) was from the Dunhuang region. The second Dharmaraksa was also a foreign monk who settled in China and translated key texts.

However, unlike the first Dharmaraksa, he was originally a Hinayana monk from India.

He read the Nirvana Sutra and switched his allegiances to the Mahayana school.

He settled in the northern China state of Liang Zhou in 412 c.e. He was taken on as an adviser to the ruler, Ju’chu Mengxun, and encouraged to translate Buddhist sutras.

He eventually produced the first translation of the Nirvana Sutra, a massive task resulting in 40 volumes.

He returned to India once to collect more texts. on a second return journey he was murdered by the very ruler of the Liang Zhou who sponsored him.

Source

http://what-when-how.com/buddhism/dharmaguptaka-school-to-dong-zhongshu-tung-chung-shu-buddhism/